BOX SCORES – GAME #1 | GAME #2
CALDWELL, Idaho – Senior
Russ Johnston (Independence, Ore.) belted his team-leading seventh home run of the season, but it was not enough as Corban's baseball team opened its final weekend of the season with a pair of losses to The College of Idaho, 7-3 & 6-3, Friday afternoon at Wolfe Field.
In the opener, Corban got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the third inning when junior
Matt Schmidt (Corvallis, Ore.) registered a lead-off single to left center before moving up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt by junior
Mitch Riddle (Pullman, Wash.). One batter later, junior
Josh Warner (Independence, Ore.) singled to right center allowing Schmidt to score the game’s opening run.
The College of Idaho would score two runs over the next three innings, including a lead-off home run to right field by Brad Carlsen that handed the host ‘Yotes a one-run lead (2-1) after six innings.
In the top of the seventh inning, Corban tied the game at 2-2 after Johnston lead off with a triple to left field and then came home on a safety squeeze by sophomore
Trevor Winsor (Troutdale, Ore.) one batter later.
Unfortunately, the visiting Warriors could not hold the lead thanks to three C of I runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on four hits with all the runs coming off run-scoring hits to the outfield to make the score 5-2 in favor of the host ‘Yotes.
The College of Idaho added another two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning when Luke Howarth registered a run-scoring single to center field. Cody Brubaker brought home C of I’s final run thanks to a ground out to second, which made the score 7-2 heading to the final inning.
In the top of the ninth inning, Johnston belted his seventh home run of the season via a two-run shot over the left field wall that made the final score 7-3 in favor of The College of Idaho.
Game #2 saw Corban put the first run on the board in the top of the second inning when sophomore
Tony Salamone (Medford, Ore.) reached base via a C of I error. Following a stolen base, Salamone came home on a Riddle single to center field that handed the visiting Warriors an early 1-0 lead.
Wasting no time, The College of Idaho knotted the game at 1-all in the bottom of the second inning when Matt Mejia singled to left field allowing Gavin Gamboa to score from second.
Neither team got on the board again until the top of the fifth inning when The College of Idaho’s Carlsen scored on a fielding error by Corban to make the score 2-1 in favor of the host ‘Yotes.
Looking to pick up the victory, Corban put two more runs on the board in the top of the sixth inning when Johnston singled to right field to lead off the frame. Two batters later, Johnston was standing at third when Salamone executed the Warriors’ second suicide squeeze of the afternoon to tie the score at 2-all. On the play, Winsor and sophomore
Kyle Taylor (Clackamas, Ore.) advanced to second and third respectively to set-up another run-scoring sacrifice play by Riddle that put the visiting Warriors up by a single run (3-2).
In the bottom of the sixth inning, The College of Idaho manufactured four runs on four hits with the dagger coming off the bat of Jake Miller via a two-run triple to left field that score the ‘Yotes’ fourth and fifth runs of the game. C of I’s final run of the game came via a sacrifice fly by Carlsen to right field that made the final score 6-3 in the ‘Yotes’ favor.
On the afternoon, Johnston and fellow senior
Craig Spicer (Vancouver, Wash.) registered three combined hits with Johnston turning in a 2-for-4 showing in Game #1 before Spicer closed out the afternoon with a 2-for-3 performance in the finale.
Freshman
Quinn Macnab (The Dalles, Ore.) went the opening 7.0 innings on the mound for Corban in the opener allowing five earned runs on 10 hits before turning the ball over to sophomore reliever
Kyle Lamson (Medford, Ore.) for the game’s final three outs.
In the night cap, senior
Derek Stokes (Anchorage, Alaska) went the distance allowing six runs (three earned) on 11 hits to go along with three strikeouts.
The College of Idaho was led by Miller’s combined 5-for-9 performance with three runs scored and three RBI. Meanwhile, C of I’s Andrew Brock went the distance in Game #1 allowing three earned runs on eight hits to go along with a game-high six strikeouts. The ‘Yotes’ Jared Arehart began Game #2 and went the opening 6.0 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits before turning the ball over to Chad Yeggy for the game’s final three outs.
With today’s results, Corban falls to 10-34 overall and 8-22 in NAIA West play. Meanwhile, The College of Idaho improves to 27-17 overall and 22-7 in NAIA West action. The Warriors and Coyotes will meet again on Saturday, April 25th, in a mid-morning double header beginning at 11:00 a.m. (CST) on Wolfe Field to conclude the regular season for both teams.